Cannabidiol (CBD) oil popular as a natural supplement among humans in recent decades proponents claim it reduces anxiety, improves sleep, alleviates pain, and more. But did you know that CBD oil may also provide similar benefits for a man’s best friend? CBD is one of over 100 active compounds found in the cannabis plant called cannabinoids. Unlike the cannabinoid THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it won’t get your pet “high.” Preliminary research suggests CBD may help dogs by supporting the endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate many body functions and keep things in balance.
- Reduces anxiety and stress
Does your dog seem constantly stressed out? Chronic anxiety isn’t just frustrating for you as an owner – it’s miserable for your pup. CBD oil may help relax a stressed-out dog by increasing serotonin levels and stimulating endorphin release to improve your dog’s overall mood and emotional state. CBD oil helped significantly decrease stress levels and noisy behaviors in dogs during a simulated public speaking test after just a single dose.
- Eases chronic pain and inflammation
- Seeing your aging pet struggle with stiff, achy joints or chronic inflammatory conditions can be heartbreaking. While many veterinarians prescribe painkillers like gabapentin or NSAIDs like Rimadyl for dog pain, CBD offers natural and side effects.
- cbd oil for dogs is a potent anti-inflammatory and painkiller that works by inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules, attenuating neurotransmitters that transmit pain signals, and activating opioid and vanilloid pain-relieving receptors in the nervous system and brain. Numerous studies show meaningful improvements in measurements of pain, inflammation, and mobility in arthritic dogs given CBD oil daily.
- Whether your dog suffers from severe arthritis and immobility or more moderate inflammation and joint discomfort, adding CBD to their supplementation regimen may provide welcome relief and improved quality of life.
- Suppresses epileptic seizures and tremors
The 5% of dogs suffer from seizures caused by epilepsy, a complex neurological condition often difficult to control. Ant seizure medications for dogs come with extensive side effects and don’t work for every pup. Alarmingly, 30% of epileptic dogs on conventional anticonvulsant drugs continue experiencing uncontrolled seizures. However, CBD shows immense promise in lessening seizure frequency and damping seizure intensity for dogs with epilepsy. The only FDA-approved CBD medicine is Epidiolex, used to treat severe forms of epilepsy. CBD helps suppress abnormal electrical brain activity and neurotransmitter release underlying seizure activity.
- Stimulates appetite
Does your canine companion turn up their nose at their dinner? Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss can have many causes in dogs, from anxiety to dental disease. But whatever the culprit, CBD may stimulate appetite by activating ghrelin and other hunger-promoting hormones in the body.
CBD oil also reduces nausea and gastrointestinal inflammation – two additional appetite killers. By controlling nausea while cranking up hunger signals to the brain, CBD can help previously disinterested pups rediscover their favorite kibble.
- Calms compulsive behavior
Do you have a stressed-out pup that won’t stop licking their paws, gnawing on furniture, or chasing shadows? Obsessive-compulsive disorder isn’t uncommon in dogs and cats. OCD behaviors stem from anxiety, stress, boredom, fear, or even neurological imbalance. Luckily CBD oil has potent anti-anxiety and neuroprotective properties that can disrupt destructive compulsive cycles. CBD is believed to stimulate vanilloid receptors involved in mood regulation while protecting neurons in the prefrontal cortex. Together this makes CBD oil an intriguing supplement to curb repetitive behaviors.
